Siopao downs 15 kids in North Cotabato

FIFTEEN students were hospitalized after eating siopao bought from their school canteen in Aleosan, North Cotabato, police confirmed Monday.

Nine victims were at admitted at the Aleosan District Hospital while six were already discharged, North Cotabato provincial police spokesman Superintendent Bernard Tayong said.

The victims, all students of the Dualing Central Elementary School, experienced abdominal pain and vomiting a few minutes after eating siopao during their recess on July 9, Tayong said.

All of the victims are Grade 5 pupils aged 9 to 11, he said.

Dr. Nessel Lontiong Mondoñedo, the physician who looked after the pupils, declared that they suffered acute gastritis after eating siopao.

School principal Joel Calambro told police that one Jane Miranda had delivered 100 pieces of siopao to the school canteen and 67 were sold, Tayong said.

Investigators learned that Miranda had been supplying siopao to the school canteen for years but this is the first time for such an incident to happen, he said.

Despite that, it is still believed that the siopao caused the students to fall ill because it was learned that “some of these were not newly cooked,” Tayong said.

Local police recommended that the victims’ parents file charges of violation of Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Act, against either the school canteen personnel or supplier, he said.